1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an inter-connecting terminal and more particularly to an inter-connecting terminal comprising a core wire-pressing barrel accommodating a core wire exposed in an intermediary portion of an electric wire and a core wire exposed at an end of another electric wire. The barrel is pressed by a presser to deform the barrel so that the electric wires are fixed to the terminal under pressure.
2. Description of the Related Arts
A conventional inter-connecting terminal to be used to connect core wires of electric wires of a wire harness for use in an automobile or an office equipment has a construction as shown in FIG. 4.
That is, a conductive metal plate is formed into an inter-connecting terminal, approximately U-shaped in its sectional configuration, consisting of a bottom 2 in a circular arc configuration and side walls 3A and 3B projecting upward from the bottom 2.
As shown in FIG. 4, a core wire 5 exposed in an intermediate portion of an electric wire W1 and a core wire 5' exposed at an end of an electric wire W2 are inserted into the space surrounded with the bottom 2 and the side walls 3A and 3B. Then, the side walls of terminal 1 are pressed to connect the electric wires W1 and W2 with each other and the side walls and to fix the wires to the terminal 1.
In a widely accepted method for fixing the core wires 5 and 5' to the terminal 1, the core wire 5 of the electric wire W1 and the core wire 5' of the electric wire W2 vertically held are inserted into the space of the interconnecting terminal 1 placed on a fixed anvil 7 of a presser 6 as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. Then, a crimper 8 is moved downward to deform the side walls 3A and 3B. In this manner, the core wires 5 and 5' are connected with each other and the side walls 3A and 3B and fixed to the terminal 1 as shown in FIG. 4.
It is necessary to insulate the terminal 1 and a necessary portion of the electric wires W1 and W2 after the core wires 5 and 5' are fixed to the terminal 1. As insulating methods, molding or welding is adopted to insulate the necessary portion. In addition, an insulating tube or an insulating case is used to cover the necessary portion. The method as shown in FIG. 7 is most widely adopted. That is, the necessary portion is covered with an adhering vinyl tape 9, which is inexpensive.
However, the above-described conventional interconnecting terminal 1 has the following problem: It is difficult to position the core wires 5 and 5' appropriately in the space of the terminal 1. That is, the core wire 5' cannot be projected from the front end of the terminal 1 at a predetermined length ((G) shown in FIG. 6).
In addition, in the process of compressing the core wires 5 and 5' during the processes of pressing and insulating, there is a possibility that the leading end portion of the core wire 5' is curved at an angle of .theta. as shown in FIG. 8. If the electric wires W1 and W2 and terminal 1 are covered with the adhering vinyl tape 9 to insulate them with the leading end portion of the core wire 5' curved, there is a possibility of the core wire 5' breaking the adhering vinyl tape 9 as shown in FIG. 9.
The core wire 5' which has broken the adhering vinyl tape 9 may cause a circuit adjacent thereto to be shorted.